Snow’s Point of View

The air outside was cool and crisp, a welcome contrast to the noise and chaos of the cafeteria. I took a deep breath, the fresh air helping to clear my head a little as Nia and Troy led me to a bench near the courtyard.

“Better?” Nia asked, sitting beside me while Troy leaned against the back of the bench, his arms crossed.

“A little,” I admitted, closing my eyes for a moment and leaning back. “The cafeteria was just... a lot.”

“You’ve got a thing about crowds, huh?” Troy said, his tone observational rather than judgmental.

“It’s not just that,” I replied, opening my eyes to glance at him. “I’ve been getting these headaches since I started wearing the glasses. It’s probably just me getting used to them, but it’s been a lot lately.”

“You should’ve told someone,” Nia said softly, her brows knitting together.

“I’m fine,” I insisted, though even I didn’t fully believe it. “I just need to eat and take my pills, and I’ll be good as new.”

Nia gave me a look, one of those I don’t believe you but I’ll let it slide for now expressions.

Troy, meanwhile, tilted his head, his dark eyes studying me intently. “You’re not used to people fussing over you, are you?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. “What do you mean?”

He shrugged, his gaze unwavering. “You downplay everything, act like you don’t want anyone to worry about you. I’ve seen it before.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just looked away, fiddling with the strap of my bag.

“Anyway,” Nia said, breaking the silence and leaning back on the bench. “What’s up with your brothers? Why were they yelling for you like that in the cafeteria?”

“They’re... protective,” I said with a sigh. “It’s their thing, I guess. They’ve always been like that, especially since I came back.”

“Came back?” Nia asked, her curiosity piqued.

I hesitated for a moment before deciding it wasn’t a big deal to share. “I grew up with my grandma. I didn’t live with them until recently, so it’s been... an adjustment.”

Nia nodded, her expression thoughtful. “That explains why no one knew they had a sister. You’ve been a mystery this whole time.”

“Yeah, well, mystery solved,” I said with a small smile, though my tone was tinged with sarcasm.

“They seem cool,” Troy said, his voice casual. “Loud, but cool. Bet no one messes with you with them around.”

I let out a soft laugh. “You’d be right about that.”

“Still, it must be weird,” Nia said. “Going from living with your grandma to being thrown into the middle of... well, all that.”

“It’s been a lot,” I admitted, my voice quieter now. “But it’s not all bad. I’m still figuring things out, though.”

Nia placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, her purple curls catching the sunlight as she smiled. “You’ll be fine, Snow. You’ve got us now, too.”

Her words warmed me, and I gave her a grateful smile.

“Yeah, and if you need backup, I’m your guy,” Troy added, his lips twitching into a rare smirk.

“Thanks,” I said softly, feeling a little lighter despite the pounding in my head.

The three of us sat there for a while, the conversation drifting to lighter topics—classes, favorite shows, and Troy’s obsession with soccer. It felt good to just sit and talk, to feel normal for a change.

But as the bell rang, signaling the next class, the ache in my head flared up again. I winced, pressing a hand to my temple.

“Still bad?” Nia asked, her concern returning.

“I’ll be fine,” I said quickly, forcing a smile. “I’ve got my pills. Let’s get to class.”

As we stood and started walking back inside, I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I was to have Nia and Troy. They didn’t know me well yet, but they cared enough to stick by me.

And for now, that was enough.